Short stories about the lives of the residents of Camden Corners. A village in Upstate New York at the beginning of the 20th Century. You will meet old friends time and again and new friends and neighbors with each story. Share the many tales of love, romance, family and friends as well as a few mysteries thrown in for good measure.
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Thursday, January 12, 2012

The Parker Family~Part 2

Annie admitted she
had acted impulsively, she couldn't explain herself it just seemed it
was a solution to an uncomfortable position she found herself in back
home in Bakersville.

Jackson stood up
and started pacing the room. He couldn't throw the poor girl out in
the snow but she couldn't stay here either, it just wouldn't be
appropriate. He looked at Annie with pity in his eyes and hit a
nerve.

“Mr. Parker, I
will not trouble you any longer. I'm sure I will be able to find a
room for let. I'll see myself out.”

With that she was
out the door and halfway to the next block. She was trying
desperately to hold back the tears. What a fool she was. No wonder
Peter didn't want her. She didn't have a brain in her head or a
nickel in her pocket to pay for a room. She would walk back to the
train station and find a seat in the corner. Maybe she wouldn't be
noticed and she would come up with a solution to her dilemma in the
morning.

Jackson was still
furious. He rarely raised his voice to any of his children so Andrew
was very afraid when he heard his Dad shout his name. Jackson could
see the fear in his son's eyes and realized Andrew had done what he
thought would make the family happy. If it wasn't such a mess, he
would think it was funny. Jackson gave his son a hug and then
realized Miss Spencer had left the house.

He told Andrew to
keep an eye on the girls while he left the house in search of his
mail order bride. Annie didn't want Mr. Parker to know how upset she
was. She tried to hide her face from him but he could see the
glistening around her eyes. He had the feeling she was all alone in
the world and he felt guilty for treating her like a criminal and an
insane criminal at that. He begged her to come back to the house
with him.

Mrs. Horton had
prepared a delicious lamb stew for their dinner and it would be
ruined if they didn't get it off the warming stove very soon. Talk
of the lamb stew was all Annie needed. She swallowed what little
pride she had left and agreed to go with Mr. Parker. Just for supper
and then she would be on her way again.

As Annie and
Jackson checked the stew, she wondered if he would like her to make
some biscuits to go with the stew. While she was making the
biscuits, she notice there were the makings for a sponge cake.
Before she knew it, she had cooked a meal fit for a king or at least
a little prince and two pretty little princesses.

Jackson had been
reading his evening paper and the children were playing by his feet.
He didn't think he had felt this relaxed since before Adele got sick.
The meal was wonderful and all the extras Annie had made were
especially good.

After supper, she
sat down on the floor and played games with the children. Jackson
joined them and they played until it was time for the children to go
to bed. Annie read them each a story and tucked them into their
beds. She was finding herself regretting that Mr. Jackson Parker was
not the author of that ad.

While Annie was
reading to his children, Jackson was knocking on the Horton Boarding
House door to see if Mrs. Horton had a spare room. Jackson walked
Annie to Mrs. Horton's and thanked her for a fine evening.

Annie told Mrs.
Horton she would be on her way but thanked her for her offer. Annie
didn't know that Jackson tried to pay Mrs. Horton for the room but
she wouldn't accept the money. Anyone that could brighten Jackson
Parker's eyes like that was welcome in her home at any time. Mrs.
Horton insisted Annie stay. She could help her prepare breakfast and
tidy up the rooms in the morning and they would call it even.

Annie was so tired
she gratefully accepted the offer and slept dreaming of a handsome
young prince and two beautiful little princesses. Maybe the King was
in that dream somewhere too.

Mrs. Horton
encouraged Annie to stay in Camden Corners for a little while longer.
Before long and much to the delight of Andy, Carrie and Allison,
Jackson and Annie were married the Saturday before Thanksgiving and
Annie prepared the most wonderful Thanksgiving dinner any of them
ever remembered eating. Annie and Jackson were mostly thankful that
Thanksgiving Day for a little boy who had placed an ad for a new wife
and mother. Annie was just what the Parker Family needed.